We asked Saudi students about their Ramadan experience outside their hometowns and that’s what they shared.

Name: Mohammed Fahad
Age: 20
Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Something you missed during Ramadan that you used to take for granted at home?

Two things:
1- Reaching home by iftar time to find all kinds of healthy and delicious dishes prepared.
2- Gathering at meal times. It adds a special flavor to Ramadan. When all the family gathers up in one place, even your relatives who live far away.

Name: Abdulaziz Alharbi
Age: 27
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Any tips for Saudis who won’t be home for Ramadan next year?

Don’t do grocery shopping while fasting.

Most difficult thing about a Ramadan abroad?

Our day here in Japan is only one hour longer than Saudi. But all shops including the gyms close really early so it is hard to have fun outside during Ramadan.

Name: Hasan Abuabdallah
Age: 21
Location: Providence, Rhode Island (prev: Portland, Oregon)

Easiest thing about Ramadan abroad:

Not having to cook every day is a blessing. Having friends is great; we did a handful of cook-overs and group dinners since a house is the only place that has no closing hours. But it’s mostly the online food delivery, which is seriously a life changer.

Name: Abdulmalik Zubailah
Age: 19
Location: Kingston, Canada 

What’s the first thing you learned how to cook when you had to make your own iftar?

We didn’t really have to cook anything, as we would get bags of food from the cafeteria’s cook. She was pretty generous with the portions and she would always make these exquisite cheese breads!

Name: Abdullah Alotaibi
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

The first Ramadan I spent abroad was in Manchester in 2012. Maghrib prayer was almost after nine, so we only prayed the night prayer on the weekends since its timing was late. There was an old British Muslim man in our institute, who was overjoyed with our presence and he’d join us for iftar at times. He became a friend and even saw us off at the airport.